The present application relates generally to cooling devices and related methods configured to cool an electronic device, and more particularly to cooling devices and related methods that provide for passive cooling when the cooling device and the electronic device are coupled.
Many electronic devices or systems generate heat that may affect the performance and/or comfort or ease of use of the devices. For example, many modern day personal electronic devices or systems, such as computers, tablet computers, phones, music players, electronic readers and other transportable or personal electronic devices generate a relatively large amount of heat during use. The heat produced by electronic devices may negatively affect the performance, such as the computing speed and/or life of the components of the devices, and/or the comfort or feel of the electronic devices to a user.
A variety of cooling mechanisms may be used to cool electronic devices. Many primarily mechanically-based mechanisms, such as air flow cooling systems (e.g., electric fans) and heat sinks, are commonly utilized to cool electronic devices. However, these mechanisms are often relatively large or heavy, especially in comparison to modern day electronic devices, unsightly, negatively affect the use of the electronic devices (e.g., portability, ergonomics, etc.), relatively expensive and/or are unreliable or relatively easily damaged. Other non-primarily mechanically-based cooling mechanisms, such as electrostatic air movement, corona discharge effect cooling, liquid cooling, phase-change cooling, etc. are typically expensive, not compatible with many personal electronic devices, and/or relatively large or heavy.
Further, typical electronic device cooling mechanisms, both primarily mechanically-based mechanisms and non-primarily mechanically-based mechanisms, are fixed, integrated or incorporated into electronic devices during the manufacture or assembly of the devices. Stated differently, typical electronic device cooling mechanisms are designed to be incorporated or installed during the manufacture or assembly of the devices and cannot be incorporated, installed or otherwise utilized with pre-existing electronic devices.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome one or more of the above-described drawbacks and/or disadvantages of the prior art.